Guest Comments

What some of our guests had had to say about Casa del Perro Feliz

"Comfortable, Tasteful and Relaxing"

The first thing you notice when arriving at Casa del Perro Feliz is how wonderfully the house sits in harmony with its surroundings. Instead of playing the game of one-upmanship ("our house is more gargantuan than your house!"), the owners designed Casa del Perro Feliz to complement the site. Trees were preserved that not only lend to the aesthetics of the house but help to keep it cool. The colors are tasteful and tropical without being gaudy. The house is open and airy, constructed to take advantage of cross breezes that kept it cool even on the hottest afternoons we were there. The beds are comfortable and the kitchen well-equipped. Tankah is a great place in and of itself (the bay and access to the reef are about twenty paces from the patio door), and it's located within easy driving distance of Tulum, Akumal (another great snorkeling spot), and many other places. A cenote (a sinkhole where an underground river emerges) is close by for great, refreshing freshwater swimming. The Mexican caretakers are wonderfully attentive without being intrusive, and the local property manager is close by to take care of any problems (we had none). This, simply, is a great house for a vacation. And indeed, the dogs are happy!

A Flipkey /Trip Advisor verified reviewer

JMB, Kalamazoo, Michigan

Left on 03/04/2011 for a stay in February 2011

“Don't miss this wonderful opportunity!!!”

Casa del Perro Feliz is a must if you are looking for a wonderful home on Tankah Bay, Mexico, a short distance from Tulum. The home is very comfortable and very well furnished to meet all needs and desires, active or not. You can cook your meals, have them cooked for you(Maria and Ulises are out of this world) or frequent some great restaurants. Don't miss Bluesky just down the road.
We spent Christmas and New Years with our family at Perro Felize and had a wonderful time.

A FlipKey / Trip Advisor verified reviewer

Brevard, North Carolina

Jan 10, 2011

“A True Mexican Get-Away”

Casa del Perro Feliz was a wonderful get-away for our family in the heart of Mexico. The home was beautifully furnished and very clean. It felt like it was a "family home" and felt very warm and welcoming. The snorkeling was amazing; we saw many incredilble fish, rays, and even a sea turtle on the last day! The nearby cenote snorkeling was just jaw dropping. Everyone we encountered was very kind and welcoming. Next time we go we will get a rental car, as it is not walking distance to town and the cost of a taxi for that adds up over several days. Cindy B.

A FlipKey / Trip Advisor verified reviewer

Salt Lake City, Utah

Dec 2, 2010

“The Best Winter Vacation Experience I've Ever Had”

Our visit to Casa del Perro Feliz on Tankah Bay was a fabulous value and will warrant return visits. The local caretakers had the house ready for us and kept everything ship shape throughout our entire visit. Maria cooked a wonderful dinner for us and made it a very relaxed and special evening. It was a great compromise between going out and cooking ourselves. Prior to our visit, Ann the co-owner provided us with a wealth of information on things to do, as well as, great directions on how to get around. The comfortable and tastefully appointed home is situated in a very laid back, secure and quiet location away from the resort hubbub. The beautiful bay is a few feet from the villa and is protected by a wonderful reef. The bay is ideal for kayaking (kayaks included), and snorkeling to explore the reef. Located in an area rich in culture, history, archaeological treasures and home to nearby protected jungle habitat, there is something for everyone. Besides snorkeling, exploring, wonderful food, shopping and lounging in serene bliss, my favorite adventure was a bike ride into the jungle south of Tulum. To sum it up the house and location provided all we needed to make us feel relaxed and at home. Our only regret was not being able to spend more time there, but... we'll be back! Rob E.

A FlipKey / Trip Advisor verified reviewer

Bend, OR

Nov 5, 2010

"The Best!"

There is no way to adequately describe the fantastic experience we had at Casa del Perro Feliz on Tankah Bay. The house is down towards the North end curve of the bay on gentle water protected by a barrier reef with views that are out of this world. I like to get up early and go to the roof with a cuppa to listen to the birds and watch the day unfold before my very eyes. You can see all the way down to the south end of the bay and it is spectacular. My wife likes to sleep in and that is no problem because there is little traffic in that neighborhood. But all is secure because it is a gated community and every vehicle must have a reason to be in there or NO GO. We snorkel, ride bikes, kayak instead of watching TV or video games. We body surf instead of surfing the net. It reminded us of what it means to be alive! Ceiling fans were more than enough--too cool sometimes. We would NEVER have had to turn on an air conditioner. We laughed about our pre-vacation worrying concerning no AC. The house is big enough for 3 couples or a family (3BR, 3&1/2 bath) and hammocks, palapa and beach are right outside the door. The kitchen and dining area are spacious- make it simple and easy, but the caretakers will actually cook for you if that is your preference and you arrange it with them. We took them in our rented car into town and they knew where to buy what we needed. You probably should rent a car for all the activities in the area: Coba, Tulum, Playa Carmen, cenotes, etc. but you can get along using an occasional taxi too. There are a couple of very good restaurants in walking distance right on the bay and in addition to the snorkeling in the bay, you can snorkel a cenote a half mile from the house--right in front of one of the restaurants. I could write a book about all the things there are to do once you get settled in to the Casa del Perro Feliz!! Tim.F.

A FlipKey / Trip Advisor verified reviewer

Des Moines, IA

Feb 7, 2010

"Happy Travelers at the House of the Happy Dogs"

We loved our two weeks at Casa del Perro Feliz and appreciate all the owners have done to make the casa so special. Ullises and Maria, our on-site gardener and housekeeper, were incredibly helpful in spite of their limited English and our even more limited Spanish. Always available but inconspicuous, their kind assistance made for an enjoyable and comfortable stay. The house worked perfectly for our vacation; just big enough when everyone was in Tankah, each suite private enough and the social space more than adequate. We were down on the beachfront chairs by 6 a.m. every day and made good use of the palapa and outdoor, shady areas later in the day. It was wonderful to have so many choices of where to relax. The location on the bay is terrific...quiet, protected and beautiful. And there is plenty to do both in the 'neighborhood' and in the surrounding area. We had an adventure every day! The property owner's advance information and preparation for our trip was extraordinary. I plan a number of trips each year for myself and for several others so I'm very familiar with the booking process with private property owners. I ask a lot of questions and know what to watch for when I'm selecting a lodging facility. The amount of information these owners provided and the level of care is exceptional. I don't think I had to ask more than about 5 questions in advance of the trip, and the packets of info provided before our arrival, not just left in the house, gave us so much advance preparation I felt like we probably gained a day or two just in orientation to the property and the surrounding shopping, sights and activities. I found these owners have set the standard high for my future private home reservations. Everything from start to finish has handled professionally and with our vacation happiness at the forefront. Guest: Shari T (Plymouth, MN) March 29,2010

Dear Ann, I wanted to write and let you know that our trip to Tankah Bay, and the stay in your beautiful home there was exactly the vacation we had hoped it would be. We were so struck by how thoughtfully your home and property were developed that it was nearly impossible for us to leave - in fact I don’t believe we ventured further than a few thousand feet away for the first three days we were there. It truly was our home away from home for the duration of our trip, and there are very few places I have been on vacation for which I can say this. Although the short spring/summer in Vermont had finally begun by the time we returned home, we are still missing Mexico, your home, and the tranquility of the Bay badly. The people who we met were extremely welcoming and eager to teach us whatever they could about the area. Ulises and Maria took exceptional care of us for the entire stay; from the day-to-day housekeeping to Maria's cooking, which was so splendid that we barely felt the need to go out and try the local cuisine. They are truly a blessing, and a big part of our happiness while in Mexico. The location was the perfect combination of seclusion and convenience. Close to many different beaches, restaurants and attractions if you wanted, but remote enough that barely a sound disturbed our long, relaxing days. I can’t even begin to count the many hours I spent each day lying in a hammock under the Palapa; my wife is sick of hearing me talk about building one “New England style” at our house (there is probably a reason we don’t see thatch roofs in New England, she says). The peace and quiet made our vacation. In fact you may recall that a few days after we arrived, Swine Flu broke out in New York City, and while the world around us was panicking, we were blissfully ignorant of the entire episode, thanks to the seclusion of your home, and the quiet nature of the whole Tulum area. I am pretty sure that if we had not returned to the airport in Cancun, we might still be unaware of it today. We are very appreciative of your willingness to open your beautiful home to us. I know that it takes a leap of faith to allow strangers into your home and trust that they will respect your property the way you would your own – it is a splendid casa and a wonderful place to rest while enjoying all that surrounds you. I wish we had accomplished even half of the things we set out to do during our stay, but alas we found that just having a few more hours to relax, kayak, snorkel or swim at the house was all we needed to accomplish for the week – perhaps in another visit we will expand our horizons a bit more, but somehow I think we will do exactly the same thing – talk about what adventure we want to embark on next, while instead opting to sit and relax with a cool drink and a good book. We will return, hopefully very soon! Thank you and please give Ulises and Maria our best! Sincerely, Doug and Sarah M.

Hi Ann, I returned to California late last night and am currently going through Casa del Perro Feliz withdrawals. Your home is wonderful: the location, the views, the dogs, Ulises & Maria; wonderful, wonderful. The Tulum ruins are incredible, its beaches amazing. Thanks for the tips on the best timing, everywhere we went we seemed to be two steps ahead of the crowds. We especially loved the snorkeling in Cozumel and Luca at the Blue Sky and margaritas on the beach. Katie, Gray and I had a great vacation. Thank you. We hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving and wish you very Happy Holidays. Katie, Gray & Colleen P.S. I have a crush on Blackie. That dog is absolutely adorable :).

Ann and Chuck, We must thank you again for providing a wonderful vacation for us through the rental of your home in Tankah. Last year we rode out Hurricane Wilma in the casa which proved to be a formidable opponent to the hurricane. This year was less exciting weather wise and we got to take in the sun, snorkel and kayak the bay, experience the "gathering" of the parrots in the jungle in back of the casa and just relax this time. We love the way you have preserved and respected the environment that surrounds your home, be it letting the iguanas feast upon your garden or the palm trees that stand where they have grown by themselves. Casa del Perro Feliz will always hold a special place in our hearts and memories! Shall we book a third time now? Irene and Bobby , Old Bridge, NJ

We visited your home Nov. 28-Dec. 7th with two other couples from Bozeman, MT. We all fell in love with the house, the beach, the area, your caretaker family, the puppies, and we're all dreaming about how we can get back to the area SOON! The whole experience rates as the best vacation ever, and we've had some good ones, so that's really saying something. Ann, Please feel free to use my comments. We could go on and on. We are still wishing we were back there, especially today with the very wintry weather we’re having! We cannot imagine even looking at another house. Yours fit our needs so perfectly. Thanks so much. Happy New Year!

"Ann & Chuck, Wanted to say thank you for opening your home. Then setting is beautiful as is the house. This is the perfect place to escape to. Very quickly we found our natural rhythms and stress was completely forgotten. Julian & Maria were excellent! All in all, a wonderful experience, we are tan, happy & relaxed and not at all ready to return to the land of information overload."

"Ann & Chuck Wow, you've created the perfect retreat! A work of art! It was simply amazing to see how things have changed from our last visit in Feb. 01. Thanks for allowing us to soak it all up for a few (too few) days-"

"Casa del Perro Feliz will always hold a special place in our hearts after our week here. Your beautiful home has given us gifts of sun, sea, peaceful relaxation & shared laughter. Abundant thanks to you!"

"Dear Ann & Chuck and Julian & Maria, We had a week in Paradise. The house, the beach, the bay, the hammocks and most of all Maria & Julian.... it was simply perfect. We tried to snorkle at different places like Xcaret, Yal-Ku, but only to confirm that the best snorkling is right here. Everything is so untouched. Maria & Julian took care of us and our children like family/friends. We felt so safe and everything was so clean. We will always keep Casa del Perro Feliz in our hearts and will return as soon as possible. Thank you for everything and sharing your paradise."

Aug. 10 ,2004 "Dear Ann, Chuck, Maria & Julian, Thank you so much for our wonderful week in your little Paradise. We all had so much fun and everything was nice and comfortable. We enjoyed the beach, the kayaks & snorkeling, right here at your casa the most. We had never seen water so clear and so very turquoise in color. I made it up most mornings to enjoy the sunrise and we all enjoyed the beautiful sunsets together. Maria & Julian were wonderful!"

Casa del Perro Feliz

Tankah Bay, Tulum, Mexico